Case Number 22308: Small Claims Court

GHOST HUNTERS: SEASON SIX, PART ONE (BLU-RAY)

The Charge

All-real supernatural adventures!

The Case

There is only one way Ghost Hunters works, and that's as unintentional
comedy. Watching a group of guys wandering through the darkness and talking each
other into the idea that they're surrounded by the spirits of the dead is pretty
amusing, particularly since the group seems rather eager to jump on the
slightest rustle or flash of light as potential evidence. However, if you're
rather skeptical about the notion of haunted houses, absolutely nothing Ghost
Hunters has to offer will convince you otherwise. Alas, chuckling at the
antics of the team probably won't sustain most viewers for very long, as
amusement quickly gives way to irritation.

In terms of credibility, Ghost Hunters lands roughly on par with
those televangelists who promise impossible miracles in exchange for generous
donations. Of course, this show is a good deal less loathsome as all it steals
from viewers is their precious time. Like all of the paranormal reality shows on
television, this program is devoted to the task of creating suspense out of
absolutely nothing. Floorboards creaking, wind blowing, flies buzzing -- all
might actually be a ghost attempting to give the hosts of this SyFy Channel
reality show a very important message.

Still, I suppose the show should be given a modicum of credit for refusing
to take itself too seriously. The series doesn't even bother with much
pseudoscience, nor does it pretend that these people are trained experts. The
hosts of the show were initially Roto-Rooter employees who hunted ghosts by
night; now they're honorary Roto-Rooter employees who get interrupted during the
middle of their fake job assignments with potential missions. We don't spend
much time analyzing the host of electronic gadgets being used to measure
paranormal activity; all we need to know is that it beeps and shows some very
official-looking numbers on the screen. "Guys, it's a 1.9 over here,"
one says. "Oh my God, that's incredible," another team member will
respond.

Those who already believe in ghosts may have no problem going with the flow,
just as members of many religions are able to see everything which happens in
life as part of a supernatural plan rather than as mere coincidence or normal
scientific progression. However, those who actually watch the show and attempt
to scrutinize the evidence will find the claims being made more than a little
suspect. The average "discovery" on the show goes something like
this:

Ghost Hunter #1: "Wait...did you hear that?"

(The music swells on the soundtrack.)

Ghost Hunter #2: "Yeah, I did. It sounded like someone said
'hungry.'"

(We hear a noise which sounds like the microphone picking up a bit of
wind.)

Ghost Hunter #1: "Wow, it really does. You know, there used to be
feasts in this building. I wonder if the ghost is expecting dinner."

Ghost Hunter #2: "That's incredible. Wow, that's just
amazing."

Ghost Hunter #1: "I'm looking at my equipment right now, and the
readings are really high."

Ghost Hunter #2: "Did you feel that? The atmosphere of the room just
changed dramatically."

Ghost Hunter #1: "I don't know what's happening, but this is
huge."

Sure, the Ghost Hunters claim to treat every piece of evidence objectively
and with a skeptical eye, but it's obvious that they're eagerly highlighting any
findings which viewers won't be able to dismiss within thirty seconds. Much of
the stuff they throw out is only tossed in order to add credibility to the
material they accept:

The highlight episode of the season is the visit to Alcatraz, in which one
of the Ghost Hunters earnestly attempts to give The Birdman of Alcatraz a gift
in the form of a feather. "I found this, and I thought you might like it
since you like birds," he says. Other episodes take us to such prominent
locations as The Philadelphia Zoo and the former home of Harriet Beecher Stowe,
which are naturally filled with haunted, historically relevant odds n' ends.

Ghost Hunters: Season Six, Part One looks perfectly acceptable in
hi-def, sporting an effective 1080i/1.78:1 transfer which gets the job done. As
the bulk of this show spotlights murky night-vision cinematography, this isn't
exactly a visually compelling series, but the HD transfer does allow viewers to
better examine the assorted movements and blurry images the Ghost Hunters cite
as evidence. Audio is solid, though this show has one of the most grating
soundtracks on television, relying on an endless barrage of whooshing noises and
electronic stings. It's painful to listen to, honestly. Still, everything is
presented with clarity (save for the statements these ghosts are supposedly
making). No supplements are included.

While I could very easily go through the remainder of my time on earth
without watching another episode of Ghost Hunters, those who like this
stuff now have their favorite show in HD. Three cheers for the free market, I
guess.